DFCC Bank and WWCT partner for protecting threatened Lankan leopard

From left: Andrew M Kittle - Principal Investigator WWCT, Anjali Watson - Co-Founder and Principal Researcher WWCT, Thimal Perera - CEO DFCC Bank, Shamindra Marcelline - Deputy CEO DFCC Bank

DFCC Bank has announced a strategic three-year partnership with the Wilderness and Wildlife Conservation Trust (WWCT) to support a science-based initiative aimed at conserving Sri Lanka’s biodiversity by focusing on the protection of the island’s apex predator, the threatened Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya).
The partnership is anchored in the understanding that the leopard is an umbrella species. Protecting it also safeguards entire ecosystems and countless other species that share its habitat. By supporting leopard conservation, DFCC Bank and WWCT are making a wider commitment to biodiversity protection, environmental resilience, and sustainable coexistence between people and wildlife.
Thimal Perera, Chief Executive Officer of DFCC Bank, commented, “Through this partnership, we are investing in awareness, education, and practical solutions that reduce conflict on the ground and deliver lasting value for both people and wildlife.”
Ecologist Anjali Watson, Co-Founder and Managing Trustee at WWCT added, “The leopard is Sri Lanka’s only terrestrial apex predator, and its continued survival means the protection of entire ecosystems. 
At WWCT, our research has shown that focusing on the leopard provides a fast and effective route to conserving landscapes and biodiversity on a wider scale. This partnership provides access to resources at scale, enabling us to take this science to communities and the public, ensuring that conservation is not just data-driven but also inclusive and practical.”
This collaboration will deliver a nationwide awareness campaign to highlight the ecological role of leopards and the dangers posed by land fragmentation, snares, and poaching. At the same time, community-based interventions will be piloted in high-risk areas to reduce leopard mortality.